00:00Cannabis Policy Specialist Marcus Ramkisson, who holds a Master of Science degree in Cannabis Science and Commerce from the American
00:09International College
00:10and also served as Cannabis Expert Advisor and Policy Consultant to the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs in
00:18Trinidad and Tobago in 2019,
00:21where he was responsible for drafting key cannabis decriminalization amendments and developing primary and subsidiary legislation for cannabis law reform,
00:32says,
00:32tackling problematic marijuana use requires more than legislation and penalties.
00:39He says,
00:40Governant is taking a two-pronged approach through heavier penalties and offenses for consumption,
00:45but public education must also be part of the response.
00:51Ramkisson also believes 21 should be the standard age for alcohol, cannabis, smoking and gambling.
00:59However, he warns that the new legal framework could have an unintended consequence,
01:05potentially creating more space for the illicit market.
01:09We have to consider, or just consider, if we're going to create an illicit market,
01:14as prohibition has always shown to create illicit markets for those substances that are prohibited,
01:18are we going to now create and increase the illicit market for these substances,
01:24and in that illicit market, as the monies from those illicit funds going to supply other detrimental things.
01:31That's the balance we have to strike in raising an age limit, caring for the future generation,
01:35trying to mold better the future generation, which, again, I am all for.
01:40Ramkisson tells The Morning Edition there are serious health effects of substance abuse.
01:46He considers alcohol particularly dangerous, pointing to risks including blackouts, memory loss and aggressive behavior,
01:55while noting that cannabis can contribute to or worsen psychotic disorders in some people.
02:02And if you're predisposed genetically to diseases like schizophrenia,
02:07cannabis will activate it and will exacerbate it.
02:12Is there a relationship between schizophrenia and the usage of cannabis by young people?
02:19It increases the, again, you have to be genetically predisposed,
02:23but it does increase the onset up to six to eight times faster.
02:28He claims that more young people have presented with these psychotic disorders since cannabis was decriminalized.
02:36Unfortunately, again, I would say because of the increased use,
02:39because of the lack of public education by the last administration,
02:43yes, you would hear from the psychiatric board and the community and the doctors there that,
02:48yes, we have seen post-2019 a substantial increase in those disorders in young people
02:55from unattributed to cannabis use, heightened by cannabis use.
03:00Ram Kisun is also calling for a meeting with the Attorney-General on paving the way forward as it relates
03:07to the legislation.
03:08Nicole M. Romany, TV6 News.
